Howard Smith Wharves installs large-scale solar array as it maps a green pathway
Howard Smith Wharves by Artemus Group took another step toward its goal of becoming the most sustainable precinct in the world this month by installing 179kW of rooftop solar panels.
After engaging Origin Zero, Howard Smith Wharves commissioned an energy audit and kitchen electrification study in its ambitious quest to reduce emissions by 44% by June 2026, compared to 2022 levels. It has already diverted 97% of its waste from landfill, with this energy audit another avenue to reduce emissions and support its sustainability mission.
Following the audit, Origin Zero proposed the rooftop solar and power factor correction (an adjustment of the power supply systems to enhance efficiency) to achieve immediate supply-side emissions savings of 7.2% across the precinct’s restaurants, cafes, bars, event spaces, hotel and brewery.
Luke Fraser, CEO of Artemus Group, says that sustainability is his top priority. “These two quick and simple solutions drastically reduce our emissions, so we jumped at the opportunity. We aim to become the most sustainable precinct in the world, and we’re proud to continue to partner with industry leaders who support us in achieving our goal.”
“It’s exciting to continue redefining sustainability in hospitality as we work collaboratively to raise the industry standard to support national emissions reduction targets and help the country toward net zero by 2050,” Fraser said.
Liam McWhirter, Origin Zero’s GM of Enterprise and Strategic Partners, said, “We’ve worked closely with Howard Smith Wharves to understand their business needs and identify the right solutions to help them achieve their ambitious sustainability goals.”
“The first step in the process was conducting a full energy audit and carbon assessment. We’ve since been able to implement a range of initiatives together, including installing a rooftop solar system that meets heritage requirements and will generate a considerable portion of Howard Smith Wharves’ day-time energy usage.”
“Alongside achieving meaningful carbon emissions reductions, our work with Howard Smith Wharves will also deliver significant energy savings,” McWhirter said.
The audit found that electricity accounted for 69% of HSW’s energy consumption but 90% of its emissions due to the high emissions factor of the Queensland electricity grid. Decarbonising the grid over the coming years with the phase-out of coal power plants is expected to contribute to emissions savings of 25% for the precinct.
The audit developed an emissions reduction pathway to map the various actions that could help Howard Smith Wharves reach its target. It found the precinct could reduce demand-side emissions by 7.7% through multiple measures.
The audit found that using a heat pump to supply chilled water to the precinct could offset 625,700kWh of natural gas, reducing emissions by 4.3%, which is the biggest demand-side potential emissions reduction for the precinct.
“Our next step is to establish a plan to replace our gas appliances, obtain designs for chilled water heat recovery, and buy the green power we need – as well as implementing some other changes the audit identified that we can make for smaller gains, like optimising fans in the car park,” Fraser said.
“It’s our vision at Howard Smith Wharves to become the most sustainable precinct on the planet. We want to redefine the sustainability benchmark in Australia’s hospitality industry.”